Nintendo DS Exposed: News & Videos

We take a look at Nintendo's upcoming DS launch, with a load of direct feed video from titles like Feel the Magic, Nintendogs and Mario 64 DS - and more!

The phrase 'handheld war' is going to get overused during the next few months. With both Nintendo and Sony introducing handheld hardware into the marketplace, hacks across the globe are sharpening their clichés for dissemination. But the truth is that what we're about to witness is one company with no market share to speak of try to steal a significant portion of that market from the current leader.

The first to blink was Nintendo. Early last week, pricing details for the Nintendo DS were announced. The dual-screen, stylus-driven unit will be released in North America on 21 November at a retail price of $149.99 (£84), while Japan will see the NDS on 2 December for ¥15,000 (£76).

Satoru Iwata at the Japan version of October's DS event

Launch details for Europe are more nebulous; Nintendo currently has the NDS pencilled in for some time during the first quarter of 2005 and no price has been confirmed. If history and current price levels are anything to go by, Europeans can expect to pay significantly more.

At its Gamers Summit held in Seattle last week, Nintendo stripped away some of the mystery surrounding exactly how games will look and be played on the NDS. Foremost on the minds of many were Super Mario 64 DS and Metroid Prime: Hunters: First Hunt.

The US packaging for Nintendo DS is enticing

Naturally, Nintendo is keen to emphasise that DS represents a third, distinct hardware line for the company, along with GameCube and Game Boy Advance. And since each title takes advantage of the unique Nintendo DS features, that line may be justified; for example, in Madden NFL 2005, one screen will show all 22 players on the field, while the other will display the key action. Players also will be able to compete head-to-head wirelessly. In Super Mario 64 DS, players choose one of four characters as they experience the groundbreaking Mario game in news ways, such as head-to-head wireless battling, new touch-sensitive mini-games and innovative control options.

It was the ugly duckling at E3... but no more.

Originally a launch game on the Nintendo 64 in 1996, Super Mario 64 is widely considered to be the one of the best 3D platformers around, and it also heralded the true arrival of more-than-competent 3D gameplay. The conversion to the NDS has resulted in numerous upgrades, the most exciting of which are a number of new levels that have been added, though Nintendo was loathe to show these off lest they ruin the surprise.

Super Mario 64 DS spearheads the US launch.

Gameplay has been tweaked to allow the stylus to come into play as a controller, and the camera will also be under stylus control. In addition to the new levels, Nintendo has also added the ability to play as other characters, each of which has unique talents to make progress through the levels that little bit easier. And if the regular game looks like it might bore you, then perhaps the dozens of mini-games will keep you interested. Super Mario 64 DS will launch alongside the Nintendo DS later this year.

Nintendo DP? It takes cartridges both ways, you know.

For many, though, the game that brings across the idea of using a stylus for games is Metroid Prime: Hunters: First Hunt. The game has adopted a more action-oriented approach to gameplay in comparison with previous series entries, with the lower analog screen and stylus assuming the roles of a mousepad and mouse. This makes for faster and more precise control, a necessity for the increased speed at which action takes place. Realising that this sort of control scheme might be a little fiddly, Nintendo has included several additional control options, sufficient to accommodate even the most persnickety of gamers.

--> --> Mario Kart DS takes advantage of several unique DS functions

Metroid Prime: Hunters: First Hunt includes as a premier feature wireless multiplayer and, best of all, gamers will be able to try it out right out of the box. Nintendo previously announced that when the Nintendo DS launches later this year and early next, it will include the demo as a pack-in. We can expect the full game to be released in 2005.

While Super Mario 64 DS and Metroid Prime: Hunters were the leading software titles of the day, the Nintendo DS has much more in the offing. Announcements over the past couple weeks have uncovered projects covering almost every successful franchise in the industry today.

--> Metroid Prime: Hunters - demo included with hardware.

From Final Fantasy to Animal Crossing, Castlevania to Harvest Moon and everything between, the hardware already has more software in development than any of Nintendo's platforms before. Witness Nintendogs - also known as Puppy Times - for an idea of the originality being offered in these early days of the format. And of course, Yuji Naka's I Would Die For You - to be known as Feel the Magic XX/XY in the States - is a systemo seller if you ask us...

--> Nintendogs / Puppy Times - see it in our direct video

In addition to these upcoming titles, Nintendo DS is of course already features compatibility with more than 550 games. Its second game port allows users to play single-player modes of games made for Game Boy Advance SP - something no other handheld will be able to claim.

With over a hundred games already incoming and the support of publishers across the industry, the Nintendo DS looks set to pick up where the Game Boy Advance left off. Now, with questions concerning PSP price and bettery life still unanswered, we have to sit and wait patiently for Sony's response.

Update: Nintendo DS to be Region-Free
Update: New Video added

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games